5 Ways to Transform Your Treats for National Peanut Butter & Jelly Day

Get ready to spread the love for National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day on April 2nd! Keep reading for 5 ways to put a creative spin on your existing confections with a PB&J makeover! It's the perfect time to toast to this iconic duo of flavors--plus, you might even discover a new customer favorite!

Photo credit: Mindy’s Munchies

Peanut Butter Cups

Put a twist on the traditional peanut butter cup by adding a generous layer of grape or strawberry jelly on the inside.

Photo credit: Landies Candies

Chocolate-Covered Pretzels

Transform your chocolate-covered pretzels by filling them with your favorite jelly filling before drenching them in peanut butter confectioners coating.  

Photo credit: Peter’s Chocolate^®

Truffles

Rich and creamy peanut butter filling and ooey gooey raspberry jam come together in this yummy peanut butter and jelly truffle recipe from Peter’s Chocolate. Click here to view the recipe.

Photo credit: Shugary Sweets

Fudge

Add swirls of strawberry preserves into your homemade peanut butter fudge for the perfect collision of PB&J and fudge.

Photo credit: Zanders

Trail Mix

For your PB&J on the go, mix any combination of roasted peanuts, dried strawberries pieces, raisins, peanut butter chips, mini peanut butter cups and peanut butter filled pretzel nuggets for a nostalgic trail mix.

In celebration of National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day, let your creativity flow and experiment with incorporating the timeless combination of peanut butter and jelly into your candy creations. Your customers are sure to appreciate the unique and delicious treats you bring to life!

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How to Grow Halloween Sales, Part I: Meet the Gift Giver

For the final post of this series, we examine “The Gift Givers,” the third and final group of Halloween shoppers who may be left in the lurch with the anticipated shortage of Halloween candy. Even if Halloween isn’t normally a big holiday for your business, consider how to capture sales by seizing the opportunity to meeting the unique needs of Halloween shoppers. Missed the first two posts? Click the following links to read about Shopper #1: “The Trick-or-Treat Treater” and Shopper #2: “The Party Shopper.”

The Gift Giver

Like many retail confectioners, this shopper is likely very familiar to you. If you cater to the Gift Giver for other holidays, you already know ways to appeal to this shopper. Just like you would for Christmas and Easter, for example, consider your customers’ needs for ready-to-gift options that play to this specific holiday. This may include pre-wrapped gift boxes, Halloween-themed containers or even the addition of a clever gift tag or Halloween card. 

Capitalize on local as your competitive advantage. Shoppers may be able to order unique Halloween gifts from anywhere online with the click of a button. By shopping local, gift givers (even last-minute ones) can get thoughtful gifts immediately from your local retail shop. They don’t have to worry about shipping delays or fees if they buy Halloween gifts from your store.

How to Reach The Gift Giver

Even the spookiest or frightfully cute Halloween gifts won’t go anywhere if consumers don’t know about them. With recent news from Hershey’s announcing they will not be able to fully meet consumer demand for Halloween candy already capturing media attention, consider appealing to your local media as the sweet fix for Halloween gifts in your community.

Submitting a press release to your local media is a great way to create awareness of both your products and your brand, as well as how your business can serve their audience. Lucky for you, your business likely checks a lot of the boxes that media professionals look for in a news-worthy story.

Leverage the visual appeal of your products (more specifically for television media) by making photos and videos of your Halloween offerings easily accessible. If emailing a press release, include a direct link to Halloween-related product photos on your website or a social media post instead of including photo attachments. Large attachments could bog down the recipient’s email inbox or could be avoided altogether if you are not already a trusted source.

People like “home grown” news more than news from far-reachin communities or regions. Make sure to communicate if your products are made locally by artisans/candy makers/chocolatiers in your community. A well-written press release can offer more return than even some paid advertisements. For tips on writing newsworthy press releases, click the following link to view RCI’s blog post: 5 Mistakes You Could Be Making When Writing a Press Release.

When opportunity knocks this Halloween, whether in the form of “Trick or Treat Treaters,” “Party Shoppers” or “Gift Givers,” we hope this series helps your business capture new sales and establish new relationships with consumers that continue to benefit your business long after the holiday.

Here’s wishing you a spooky sweet Halloween!

Crave more? Click here to subscribe and start receiving weekly tips, like this, delivered straight to your email inbox. RCI's blog is just one of the many resources we offer to help candy makers refine their craft and build upon their business and marketing practices. Follow us on Facebook for even more sweet inspiration.

Not a member? Click here to learn how RCI can help you build your sweet business.

How to Grow Halloween Sales, Part 2: Meet The Party Shopper

As part two of a three-week series, we continue to take a look at three Halloween shoppers who may be left in the lurch with the anticipated shortage of Halloween candy and how your business can capture sales by seizing the opportunity to meeting their unique needs. Missed last week? Click here to read it first.

The Party Shopper

Halloween parties are making a steady comeback as COVID-19 restrictions in many communities continue to diminish. This means hosts and guests of potluck parties will be looking to social media for fun and creative treats to WOW party goers!

To capture the attention of The Party Shopper, identify your products that meet one or more of the following criteria:

• Visual appeal | Products with unique shapes and bright colors will appeal to shoppers looking to shock and delight! For Halloween, products can be cute and colorful or even “bloody” and downright disturbing. Think of how to transform a round chocolate piece into a bloodshot eyeball or chocolate-covered pretzel sticks into severed fingers. For more ideas, click the following link to view our blog post: 5 Tricks to Transform Your Existing Treats for Halloween.

• Creative flavors | Strange and unusual flavor applications can be a big draw for consumers—these may be a twist on a seasonal flavor like chocolate pumpkin pie or something as outrageous as a chocolate-covered onion (yep, that’s a thing)! Click here to read more about the RCI member whose chocolate-covered onion attracts customers from all over.

•  Interactive | There is something magical that happens when you offer people an experience with your products. Whether you give customers a hammer and invite them to bash a beautiful chocolate pumpkin or pour warm milk over a hot cocoa bomb, interactive treats continue to draw people in. Interactive products could also include take-home chocolate kits—consider a Halloween-themed gingerbread house made entirely of chocolate and candy. Reimagine ways to weave the interactive element into your product lineup and invite customers to incorporate it into their party plans.

How to Reach The Party Shopper

The Party Shopper is all about the experience! As mentioned in last week’s post, reaching out to existing customers who may not think of your store as a destination for Halloween candy is a great place to start! Capture party planners early and last-minute shoppers in October by sending out themed email blasts to your customer list letting them know of your Halloween selections.

Take advantage of visual media to communicate your Halloween offerings. If your business is not on Instagram or TikTok, now might be a good time to test one or more of these social media outlets. Try utilizing video to demonstrate your interactive products or how show how your products are made.

Next week, we will introduce Halloween Shopper #3: The Gift Giver. Stay tuned for tips and inspiration for how to target this Halloween shopper!

Crave more? Click here to subscribe and start receiving weekly tips, like this, delivered straight to your email inbox. RCI's blog is just one of the many resources we offer to help candy makers refine their craft and build upon their business and marketing practices. Follow us on Facebook for even more sweet inspiration.

Not a member? Click here to learn how RCI can help you build your sweet business.

Celebrate National Fudge Day with 5 Cool Summer Fudge Flavors

Celebrate National Fudge Day on June 16 by rolling out new, limited-time summer fudge flavors! Seasonal fudge flavors will keep your product offering relevant and interesting year around. Blue skies are the limit, but here’s some inspiration to get your ideas flowing for summer.

Photo credit: Pillsbury

Piňa Colada Fudge

Regardless of your actual location, this fudge is sure to send you to a tropical state of mind in an instant. This recipe is packed with dried pineapple, coconut, rum extract and chopped macadamia nuts for added crunch.

Credit: Granny’s in the Kitchen

Pineapple Upside Down Fudge

Transform this classic summer favorite into your new favorite summer fudge flavor! This recipe incorporates yellow cake mix to give it a unique texture—almost like a dense cake.

Credit: Shugary Sweets

Pink Lemonade Fudge

Who could resist their favorite summer beverage in fudge form? Refreshing lemon, plus a splash of berry flavor and so pretty in pink! If you’re looking for the quintessential summer flavor, here you have it! This recipe uses pink lemonade mix for flavor—we recommend embellishing each slice with a candy lemon wedge for irresistible cuteness!

Credit: How to Make Easy Fudge

Pool Party Fudge

If "Pool Party Fudge" doesn’t get you in the mood for summer fun, we don’t know what will! We especially love how this recipe incorporates Teddy Grahams^® on a little "floaty" to really drive home the visual.

Credit: Bakerita

S’mores Fudge

Another summer classic that will leave customers wanting s’more and s’more! This recipe calls for loads of mini marshmallows which can be toasted with a handheld torch or under the broiler in your oven.

We hope this post gives you plenty of inspiration—and, remember to take pictures of your summer products and share them on social media to help spread the word. Cheers to summer and the summer flavors we love!

Crave more? If you like what you read here, look for the "Subscribe now" box on the right to enter your email address and start receiving weekly tips, like this, delivered straight to your email inbox. RCI's blog is just one of the many resources we offer to help candy makers refine their craft and build upon their business and marketing practices. Follow us on Facebook for even more sweet inspiration.

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Increase Easter Sales: Host a Peep-Pop Event

After shutting down their manufacturing facility due to COVID-19, Peeps are back just in time for Easter (learn more)! This week we're sharing one way to celebrate the return of this iconic confection. 

In 2019, RCI member Dolle’s Candyland, Inc. in Ocean City, Maryland shared a clever Easter idea that is too good not to share. Although many businesses are still wrestling with COVID-19 limitations, in some areas restrictions have let up substantially. While we still encourage practicing caution with regards to the virus, we are hopeful some businesses will be able to incorporate the elements of a Peep Pop event whether it be as a virtual event, an outdoor event or with participation limits.

When Dolle’s Candyland made plans to open a fourth retail store, they wanted to incorporate space where kids could enjoy hands-on candy-making experiences. For Easter 2019, Dolle’s used that space to create an event for families to bring their kids and make an “Easter Bunny Peep Pop” in their store.

After creating a public event on Facebook to spread the word, they were surprised to see people lined up out the door to make chocolate-covered Peeps. “I didn’t know that I would need stanchions [to direct the crowd],” Anna Dolle Bushnell explained, “I think we [as candy makers] take for granted what we do—people really love candy. It’s such a great thing to give them an experience like this, that really is very minimal.”

Peep Pop Procedure

Dolle's shares their "recipe" for creating a successful Easter Peep Pop event with these five easy-to-follow steps:

#1: Distribute hand wipes and have children roll up their sleeves.

Dolle's team was prepared with a large container of hand wipes, purchased from Amazon to make hand-washing a breeze while kiddos waited in line.

#2: Write child’s name on the bottom of a paper plate.

This step allows for you to hold the peep “hostage” (you’ll learn why on step #4) while it cools.

#3: Let each child dip Peep Pop in chocolate, place it on a plate and add a mini marshmallow “tail.”

This is where it’s important to keep steps to a minimum—little to no decorations are necessary. Having hosted a similar event previously, Dolle's has learned the value of keeping it simple, “if you leave sprinkles out, the kids will want to use all the sprinkles,” noted Anna. Another important tip, make sure to have a step-stool for the smaller children.

#4: Hold the Peep Hostage

This is step was emphasized by Dolle's for good reason, “Instead of walking around the store with a wet, chocolate Peep Pop, we put it through the enrober line until the Peep Pop was set up.” Adding that placing the pops in front of a fan or in the refrigerator would be suitable alternatives for anyone who doesn’t have an enrober.

The key to this step, and the overall success of this event, is while the chocolate cooled, participating families had about ten minutes to shop in their retail store.

#5: After Peep Pop is set, announce child's name in shop.

When ready, a member of the Dolle's team would read the name on the bottom of each plate before presenting the child with their finished Peep Pop. “Most of the kids would gobble it right up, but some did take them home,” Anna noted. “Some of them were beautiful, while some of them would end up having a whole pool of chocolate.”

The Conclusion

Due to the buzz created by this free, one-day event, Dolle’s Candyland increased their sales by 150% more than the day before. “People were just so thankful that we did it and some adults did it too,” added Anna. If restrictions in your area prevent your store from hosting an event, consider boxing up the ingredients and supplies for customers to make Peep Pops at home. Wishing you a “hoppy” Easter!

Crave more? If you like what you read here, look for the "Subscribe now" box on the right to enter your email address and start receiving weekly tips, like this, delivered straight to your email inbox. RCI's blog is just one of the many resources we offer to help candy makers refine their craft and build upon their business and marketing practices. Follow us on Facebook for even more sweet inspiration.

Not a member? Click here to learn how RCI can help you build your sweet business.

6 Ways to Dress Your Apples for Halloween

You may already have a Halloween costume in mind for yourself, but what about your apples? For shoppers looking for unique treats this Halloween, here are six ways to dress up both candy and caramel apples for Halloween.

Photo credit: Bakingdom

Pumpkins

If you already make candy apples, simply replace the red food coloring with orange and tie on a green ribbon to transform your apples into “pumpkins.” Fans of your candy apples will be pleasantly surprised by a new take on a classic.

Photo credit: Hilliard's Chocolates

Ghost

These caramel apple ghosts are so cute…and easy, it’s almost frightening. After layering your apples with luscious caramel, dunk them in white chocolate. We recommend piping dark chocolate to make the for the eyes and mouth—by the way, we love their pumpkin apple too!

Photo credit: Keeping Up With Kaci

Mummy

Bring you mummy caramel apples to life by turning white-chocolate-covered apples on their side and spining while adding thin, layered stripes in white chocolate. Before the chocolate dries, embellish with candy eyeballs or, as before, use dark chocolate.

Photo credit: Rocky Mountain Candy Company

Frankenstein

Green confectioners coating topped with candy corn, dark chocolate and more candy eyeballs complete this Frankenstein-inspired caramel apple. Do you dare to give it a try?

 

Photo credit: Woman’s Day

Woodland Creatures

These adorable woodland creatures are proof that Halloween treats don’t have to be spooky. Click here for a tutorial from Woman’s Day.

Photo credit: CountryLiving

Poison Apple

These glossy, black candy apples are spooky chic. Expect lots of oohs and ahs, in addition to social media shares. Click here to view a video tutorial by Taste Made.

Shoppers looking for unique treats will scream with delight when seeing your spooky, sweet apples all dressed up for Halloween.

Crave more? If you like what you read here, look for the "Subscribe now" box on the right to enter your email address and start receiving weekly tips, like this, delivered straight to your email inbox. RCI's Blog is just one of the many resources we offer to help candy makers refine their craft and build upon their business and marketing practices. Follow us on Facebook.

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5 Ways to Celebrate with Marshmallows

August is the unofficial marshmallow month—with National S’mores Day on August 10 and National Toasted Marshmallow Day on August 30.

Marshmallows originated in Ancient Egypt. They were made from the sweet, gooey sap extracted from the mallow plant and mixed with honey to make candy. The sticky treat was so good, it was reserved exclusively for royalty.

We thought it fitting to elevate the marshmallow by debunking the idea that they’re just for campfires with five ways to celebrate with marshmallows.

Gourmet Marshmallows
There’s nothing quite like homemade marshmallow. Put the jet-puffed variety to shame and experiment with this recipe for gourmet marshmallows from Delish.com. Plus, we’ve got troubleshooting tips from RCI’s past blog post—click here to read more.

S’mores Fudge Bars
Made with a buttery graham cracker crust, generous layer of rich chocolate and topped with gooey toasted marshmallow, these s’mores fudge bars would be difficult for anyone to pass up.

Fun fact: According to the National Confectioners Association (NCA), more than 50 percent of all marshmallows sold are eventually toasted over a fire each summer (candyusa.com).

Dark Chocolate Salted Caramel Dipped Marshmallows
Salted caramel amps up the flavor of chocolate-dipped marshmallows. With flavors this sophisticated, forget the campfire—crank up the kitchen torch and pass the graham crackers.

Fluffer Nutter Bites
Love marshmallows? Love peanut butter? Who doesn't?! Don’t miss this recipe for gooey and crunchy Fluffer Nutter Bites. Get the recipe here.

Roasted Marshmallow Toppings Kit
If they can build it, they will come. Bundled take-home kits have been a popular option for people spending more time at home. Let consumers build their own roasted marshmallow bar with a bundled kit that’s perfect for small gatherings or an easy after-dinner treat. This twist on s’mores replaces chocolate bars with chocolate sauce and caramel sauce to coat toasted marshmallows before rolling them in any variety of crunchy topping like roasted nuts, pretzel pieces and crushed candy bits. Don’t forget to include wooden skewers as part of your kit.

Highlight your gourmet treats this summer with fun ways to celebrate marshmallows.

Crave more? If you like what you read here, look for the "Subscribe now" box on the right to enter your email address and start receiving weekly tips, like this, delivered straight to your email inbox. RCI's Tip of the Week blog is just one of the many resources we offer to help candy makers refine their craft and build upon their business and marketing practices.

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Festive Treats for Fourth of July

Here's some fun ideas for the Fourth of July! Transform your favorite sweets into your festive treats by adding a whole lot of red, white and ooooh!

Patriotic Pretzels

This sweet and salty treat will be hard to pass up with the addition of colored confectioners coating and sprinkles to resemble the American flag.

Pop Rocks^® Popcorn

Offer a package of Pop Rocks^® as an add-on to your festive white chocolate coated popcorn (or really add popcorn treat) for a little unexpected fun this Fourth of July. Click here to read our past blog post with more inspiration, plus a helpful tip for working with Pop Rocks^® in confections.

Freedom Bark

Swirls of red, white and blue are a beautiful sight and make for a sweetly patriotic treat. Consider adding dried blueberries, cherries, cranberries or coconut for added flavor and texture while staying true to the color scheme.

Fourth of July Tie-Dye Fudge

Transform classic white chocolate fudge into a summer holiday hero! Consider a mash-up of blueberry and strawberry flavors to give it a fresh mixed berry vibe!

This Fourth of July will certainly be one to remember! We hope this offers some inspiration for your holiday celebration.

Crave more? If you like what you read here, look for the "Subscribe now" box on the right to enter your email address and start receiving weekly tips, like this, delivered straight to your email inbox. RCI's Tip of the Week blog is just one of the many resources we offer to help candy makers refine their craft and build upon their business and marketing practices.

Not a member? Click here to learn how RCI can help you build your sweet business.

Tip #292: 5 Ways to Celebrate American Chocolate Week

Our favorite time of year is just around the corner -- American Chocolate Week! A whole week of chocolatey celebration, Sunday, March 17 through Saturday, March 23! Here’s a few of our favorite ways to celebrate with consumers!

Interactive Experiences

Wilmar Chocolates' "Mix It Up!" bars are made to order!

Celebrate American Chocolate Week by creating an interactive experience for customers. This could take the form of a unique tour of your candy kitchen, a class on the origin of chocolate or a hands-on chocolate making class. Any of these options are sure to give your customers a greater understanding and respect for your products. RCI member, Wilmar Chocolates, invites chocolate lovers to work with expert “baristas” to create their own custom chocolate bars.

Secret Choco-Code

Create a new chocolate-themed secret password each day that customers can only find via social media; if they use the secret password while visiting your store, they could get a prize, plus a coupon towards a future purchase--which will encourage them to come back again.

Chocolate to Keep. Chocolate to Share.

If you find that your customers are more often buying chocolate for someone else, remind them to enjoy American Chocolate Week themselves too. Offer shoppers a “Buy One, Get One” deal and encourage them to buy chocolate to keep as well as to share.

Sweet Trivia

Think of the holiday as an opportunity to educate your customers with a fun chocolate trivia question each day in store or on your social media pages. Anyone who posts the correct answer could be put into a drawing for a free pound of chocolates.

Pitch Your Story

Utilize your relationships with local media and pitch an American Chocolate Week story, based on your store, of course. A well-drafted press release is a powerful tool to create exposure and enrich your customer base. If you haven’t had success with press releases you’ve submitted in the past, click here to see if you’re guilty of one of the 5 most common mistakes businesses make when writing a press release.

Have fun celebrating a holiday so sweet we need a week to celebrate! How will you be celebrating American Chocolate Week? Share in the comments below. 

Next week: Check your temper! Learn two fool-proof methods to ensure your chocolate is always in good temper.

Crave more? If you like what you read here, look for the "Subscribe now!" box on the right to enter your email address and start receiving weekly tips, like this, delivered straight to your email inbox. Plus, review past blog posts for quick and actionable tips to apply to your business. RCI's Tip of the Week blog is just one of the many resources we offer to help candy makers refine their craft and build upon their business and marketing practices.

Not a member? Click here to learn how RCI can help you build your sweet business.